Portable steamer for pleated and folded fabrics



p 1970 R. M. KIRCHE 3,526,109

PORTABLE STEAMER FOR PLEATED AND FOLDED FABRICS Filed Sept. 16, 1969$2240 Saffill United States Patent "Ice 3,526,109 PORTABLE STEAMER FORPLEATED AND FOLDED FABRICS Robert M. Kirche, 411 W. Arbor Vitae,Inglewood, Calif. 90301 Filed Sept. 16, 1969, Ser. No. 858,327 Int. Cl.D06c 1/00 U.S. Cl. 68-222 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fabricsteaming apparatus of a lightweight construction having an elongatedwand and a steam applying head at the end thereof which is adapted toclosely engage and conform to pleats and folds. The wand and steam headare fabricated from thin wall tubing so that they will rapidly approachthe temperature of the steam preventing the steam from condensingtherein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally tofabric steaming apparatus and more particularly, to an improvedapparatus for use in steaming pleated and folded fabrics.

It has long been known that during dry cleaning and pressing operations,the application of steam to many types of fabrics tends to removecreases and wrinkles, raise the nap, and in the case of hung drapes andcurtains, the application of steam results in a relaxing of the fabricwhich improves their hung appearance and allows them to be uniformlystretched if so desired.

It is, accordingly, the general aim of the present invention to providea new and improved apparatus for applying steam to pleated and foldedfabrics which is light in weight and easily maneuverable, yet whichproduces a high quality steaming job in less time than has heretoforebeen possible.

It is another object of the invention to provide a relatively low coststeaming apparatus which enjoys an ease of operation and yields acoverage of pleat and folds with steam far greater than that obtainablefrom conventional steaming equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of theinvention will appear from the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary steaming apparatus depictedin use on a hung pleated drapery section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the pleat and fold engagingportion of the steaming apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken generally along the line33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified pleat and foldengaging portion of a steaming apparatus embodying the feature of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating still another modified pleatand fold engaging portion of a steaming apparatus embodying the featuresof the present invention.

While the present invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, illustrative embodiments are shown in thedrawings and will herein be described in detail. It should beunderstood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention tothe particular forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention isto cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative constructionsfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

3,526,109 Patented Sept. 1, 19 70 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary steaming apparatus orgun, generally indicated at 10, is illustrated, the apparatus includinga handle 11, steam control valve 12, tubular wand 13 and the fold andpleat engaging head 14. A flexible steam line 16 is connected to thehandle 11 side of the valve 12 and in use the steam line 16 is connectedto a rigid steam line leading to a source of steam such as a steamgenerator of the type used in dry cleaning establishments.

In accordance with one of the important aspects of the presentinvention, provision is made for readily and thoroughly applying steamwithin the individual folds or pleats of a hung fabric such as forexample draperies. It will readily be appreciated that by applying steamthoroughly and uniformly directly to each pleat and within each fold,

a superior shaping of the hung fabric can be obtained and.

the steam leaving the apparatus 10 will not have the opportunity to coolin the air and moisten before being applied to the fabric, a situationwhich would result in an undesirable excessive dampening and possiblespotting of the fabric and less effective shaping result. In order toaccomplish these aforestated objectives, the head 14 of the apparatus 10is sized and shaped so as to be readily inserted into a fold 18 (FIG. 1)of a hung or stretched drapery and unformly apply steam therein toremove wrinkles, creases and allow the fabric to hang smoothly. To applythe steam to the fabric, the head 14 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is provided with aplurality of orifices 20 which are distributed about the forward outerportion of the head 14 to apply an even distribution of steam to thefabric.

In order to further insure that the steam applied to the fabric is drywhen it leaves the apparatus 10, the present invention contemplates thatthe wand 13 and head 14 be fabricated from a relatively thin wallmetallic tubing. When the apparatus is initially activated the steamentering the wand 13 and head 14 will rapidly heat up their tubularstructure so that the steam will not tend to condense in the wand orhead.

In order to prevent any water or condensation which may occur oraccumulate in the head 14 or wand 13 during the initial warmup periodfrom being deposited on the fabric, a drain hole 27 is provided at arearward portion of the head 14 to permit same to drain off.

In order to use the exemplary steaming apparatus, a newly made orcleaned drape 15 (FIG. 1) is hung in its intended arrangement or in adrapery folding and stretching apparatus of the type disclosed in myU.S. Pat. No. 3,279,661. The head 14 is then inserted into each fold 18and drawn along same with the steam being simultaneously applied byactuating valve 12 to eliminate wrinkles and relax the fabric.

In order to eifectively steam each fold 18, the head 14 of the steamingapparatus is sized and shaped to engage an individual fold of a drapery.As seen in FIG. 1, the end of wand 13 which conducts the steam to thehead 14, is integral with the head 14 and is shaped to substantiallyalign the orifice 20 in a perpendicular arrangement with respect to thewand 13 so that a generally wide band of steam can be applied to eachfold.

While the head 14 of the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is in agenerally circular shape, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatother configurations would also be embraced by the instant invention.For example, FIG. 4 shows a modified head 14a of a generally triangularconfiguration which joins back to itself at junction 22. Still anothermodified head 14b is shown in FIG. 5 which instead of partially orcompletely closing upon itself in a loop, extends rearwardly as twowands 13b and 130 to a common manifold or junction 25.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable steaming apparatus for steaming pleated and foldeddraperies and curtains of fabric materials comprising:

a longitudinally extending wand;

a handle attached at one end of said wand for manuually gripping andmanipulating the apparatus; means for attaching said apparatus to aflexible steam conduit;

a steaming head attached to the other end of said wand and in operativecommunication with the flexible steam conduit, said head including anelongated tubular member having a plurality of orifices therein forapplying steam to the material, said member sized and shaped whereby itcan be inserted into a fold between two pleats in a generally horizontaldisposition and drawn along the interior of the fold with said orificesdisposed proximate to the fabric therein;

and said head further including condensation drain means disposed at arearward portion thereof.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least a portion ofsaid head member defines an arcuate configuration.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said head memberdefines an open loop.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said head memberdefines a closed loop.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wand and head arefabricated of a metallic tubing and at least a portion of said wandoperatively connects said head to the flexible steam conduit.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said orifices generallyconform to the interior of the fold.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a manuallyactuated steam valve disposed between said head and the flexible steamconduit.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said Wand comprises apair of tubes connecting said head with said handle, each said tubebeing connected to an opposite end of said head member.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said orifices arelongitudinally aligned and disposed at substantially the forward end ofsaid head member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,998,924 9/1961 Schaeffer 68222X FOREIGN PATENTS 129,170 3/ 1902 Germany. 307,176 4/ 1933 Italy.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 239-567

